BIZ BUZZ: Finding love … in Viber?
The messaging platform highly associated with work has been struck by Cupid.
Viber launched this month its very own dating app feature, which promises a romantic—and safe—experience for single Filipinos looking for love.
“We care about meaningful connections,” Rakuten Viber CEO Ofir Eyal said in a press briefing on Tuesday in Taguig.
Eyal said they launched this feature in the Philippines because they had observed that Filipinos were “open” to trying different dating apps.
In fact, they noticed there were four to five dating apps that are being regularly used by Filipinos.
The “Viber Dating” feature, which is currently under beta testing, provides a security layer as it only allows verified users to use the dating feature.
This protects users from potential love scams, whereby a fraudster tricks an unsuspecting victim into sending money. In addition, the mobile number of the users will remain hidden to ensure data privacy.
If you’re skeptical about using it because it may mix with personal and work messages, Eyal said not to worry, as there is a “wall” between the dating and personal profiles.
So are you ready to find love in a new place? Swipe now! —Tyrone Jasper C. Piad
Don’t use Tiu Laurel’s name in vain
Some unscrupulous individuals are going around town pretending to be Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., either to solicit funds or engage in unlawful activities.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has thus warned the public against communicating with these people who are impersonating the secretary on various social media platforms and messaging apps.
“These individuals are using the secretary’s contact number and image to create the false impression that the requests are coming from the secretary,” the DA said in a recent public advisory.
Following this incident, Agriculture Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Alvin John Balagbag issued a memo informing the DA personnel that Tiu Laurel neither engages in these activities nor has authorized anyone to do so on his behalf.
“All instructions from the secretary shall be through written communication with his signature and sent through the official email account of the Office of the Secretary,” Balagbag says.
In case anyone receives such requests, the public is advised to call the agriculture secretary’s office to confirm any supposed instruction.
Assuming that the law allows any government official to solicit money, it is highly unlikely that Tiu Laurel, or any agriculture official for that matter, would engage in such activity, as the DA is currently tackling numerous challenges on its plate—from controlling rice prices to ensuring a sufficient supply of commodities. —Jordeene B. Lagare
